Blog

Associated Italian-American Charities Dinner

Students Attend Pipeline Play

The school to prison pipeline was the theme of a play that the students experienced today at The Lyric. It was sponsored by the Lyric’s Education Department and performed by Coppin University. The play dealt with issues including problems in our education and criminal justice systems as well as the challenges of family interpersonal relationships. Immediately following the play, there was a talk back session with the actors – Andromeda Bacchus, Ored Gant, Brittany Saunders, Isa Williams, Jermaine Jackson and Autumn Weisz –  moderated by Marc Steiner.

Thank you to Denise Gantt and the entire team at Baltimore’s Lyric Theatre for providing this opportunity for us.

Conversation with Paul Coates and Obari Cartman

Somatic Workshop at The Lyric

The students enjoyed their second in a series of Somatic Movement Workshops led by Ms. Ebony Evans, Education Specialist and Resident Artist at The Lyric. There was an exercise that focused on boundaries and the importance of understanding and setting your own as well as respecting others.  It was surprisingly revealing for everyone involved. The students also did an exercise with impromptu movement to music performed by Antonio Eyez.

The worksop also had the students develop and perform a short act play built around a prompt.  Finally the students worked with Denise Kumani Gantt, Director of Education and Resident Artist at The Lyric,  on their journal writing which culminated in several students reading from their work.

This was a meaningful and enjoyable event.  We deeply appreciate the lunch and the great seminars which Denise, Ebony and The Lyric provide for us.

Conversation with Liberian Students

The students shared a unique experience today with a group of young people from Liberia.  They met via ZOOM with youth from the B4YT program in an introductory session.This program was established in 2009 in this West African country to “empower young people to become educated citizens through the arts.”

The Community School has been in discussion with their staff since being introduced by Jasmine Blanks Jones, its founder and now current Executive Director of The Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Concern.

After months of preparation today was the first student to student meeting. We were challenged by internet connectivity issues, but were still glad to have the opportunity to begin to build this relationship. It is our hope that our young people will get together via ZOOM monthly to discuss issues of mutual interest  and develop a bond together.  Ultimately, we would like to see an exchange where a group of our students would go to Liberia and a group from B4YT would come to Baltimore.

Stay tuned for more on this budding relationship.